PepsiCo closes Maryland plant and cuts 143 jobs

PepsiCo is ending manufacturing and warehouse operations at its Pepsi Bottling Group plant in Cheverly, Maryland. On Sept. 14, the company laid off 143 employees across fleet, transport, manufacturing, warehouse, and salaried roles, according to a letter sent to the Maryland Department of Labor and the local mayor. The Teamsters Local 639 union represents 98 of the affected workers, while sales and delivery positions remain unaffected.

The Cheverly site operated for more than 60 years and was the highest grossing revenue generator in the town, contributing roughly $200,000 annually. Prince George's County Council Member Jolene Ivey told NBC4 that the aging facility suffered from power and water reliability problems, making necessary upgrades prohibitively expensive. PepsiCo stated that the closure stems from broader adjustments to its operating network, technological shifts, and changing consumer demand.

The closure follows a string of facility shutdowns across the United States since 2024. PepsiCo announced the closure of four bottling plants in Cincinnati, Chicago, Harrisburg, and Atlanta in October 2024. In July 2025, it ended manufacturing, transport, and maintenance operations in Detroit during an integration push between Frito-Lay North America and PepsiCo Beverages North America. The company closed two Frito-Lay plants in Orlando in November 2025, impacting 500 employees, shuttered a California warehouse affecting nearly 250 workers in February 2026, and cut over 100 jobs in Columbia, South Carolina, in August 2026.

PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta noted on a July earnings call that quarterly results reflected category moderation in US food and beverage as consumer budgets tightened under inflationary pressures. To adapt, PepsiCo has launched healthier product lines and acquired the prebiotic soda brand poppi.